Avoid Arguments And Debt With Your Partner Over Gifts

Jan. 11, 2010 - PRLog -- There are 10 main types of gift-giving occasions every year – from anniversaries to Valentines Day – which usually require a gift.

According to astrologer and gift-giving expert, Elizabeth Ball of astrology gift report company http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com and gift-giving blog, http://gifts-by-the-stars-online.com couples can avoid arguments and save hundreds of dollars if they plan now for 2010 gift-giving.

“Many people don’t plan ahead for gifts in their household budgets but now is the perfect time, just after Christmas and before Valentines Day. If you love giving gifts, and he hates spending – or vice versa – you need to discuss how you can compromise,” said Elizabeth Ball.

She suggests couples work through the following list of gift-giving occasions alphabetically and see how that applies to their situation.

“Some gift-giving occasions may not apply, for example anniversary gifts if you’re single, or perhaps Father’s Day if your Dad has passed away, but it should help to give you a gift-giving plan,” said Elizabeth Ball.

1. Anniversary gifts. Only 5% of couples follow the traditional anniversary gift custom, while 10% stop after about the third anniversary. Over half (56%) like to give their partner what they want at the time, 14% go out for dinner instead while 12% prefer to go away for the weekend (which, ironically, is more expensive). If it’s not your first, second or third, and it’s not a big milestone like a 10th, 15th, 20th or whatever, perhaps you can agree to have a nice meal together. (Obviously you want to agree on this so you can celebrate your anniversary next year.)

2. Birthday gifts. First make a list of each person you usually give at least one birthday gift to. Multiply that by a modest $50 to get your total. Once you’ve picked yourself off the floor, you may want to put a couple of rules in place. Perhaps you give only gifts to those friends you see at least once a month, and send cards to those you see less often. Or you replace gifts for friends with dinner at your home? Keep in mind that birthdays are the gift occasion where people are most likely to give personalized gifts so it’s worth planning ahead when there’s a special promotion on and to put it away ahead of their birthday.

3. Christening gifts. These won’t happen every year thank goodness but you might decide to give gifts only if you live in the same city or base it on your closeness to the child.

4.  Christmas gifts. For your own family you might discuss replacing what you spend on Christmas gifts with the equivalent on a family holiday, or lots of little presents for all the kids for one big-ticket item they share. Create a rule like buying only when something is on sale or only on your debit card and never your credit card. Or doing a Kris Kringle. Or setting up a Chrisco account. Or have a garage sale or sell stuff on eBay to finance Christmas gifts ie you don’t use your savings.

5. Engagement gifts. Again, these won’t happen every year which can help save money. Keep in mind that 54% of Generation X women get engaged within two years of dating, compared to only 36% of Generation Y females. Just over a third (34%) get engaged in September, November or December.

6. Fathers Day gifts. Can you take both Dads out to lunch on the same day to make a family affair and make that the gift? If you have to cut back on gifts somewhere, did you know that only 30% of men celebrated Father’s Day with their Dad last year? It is actually the women who are upset if their children forget Father’s Day.

7. Mothers Day gifts. You will have to organize gifts for both of your mothers as they will be terribly hurt if you don’t. Women really do view gifts as expressions of appreciation.

8. New baby gifts. 83.5% of work colleagues spent less than $50 each on a group gift for a colleague’s baby compared to only 56.2% of friends buying a group present. However not one aunt or uncle spent less than $50 as their contribution to a group gift. If the gift is for your new niece or nephew, decide whether you want to “chip in” or buy a less-expensive gift on your own.

9. Valentines Day gifts. Will you feel upset if he overlooks it? Did you get what you really wanted last year? Would you want it again? What about taking a raincheck for the following weekend when the flowers and chocolates/jewellery/lingerie/perfume boxed sets are reduced?

10. Wedding gifts. Again, weddings don’t necessarily happen every year although it is not uncommon to have a number of them in a few short months.  Are you going to faithfully stick to their gift registry or will you give them something that is very “them” but not listed? You do have up to one year to give them a wedding gift - at which point you can start the discussion all over again.

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http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com has been producing beautifully presented personalized hardcover astrology reports as gifts for couples and parents for anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, christenings, engagements, new babies, weddings, and Valentines Day since 2005. Take part in the current Valentines Day Gifts survey.